Trenching machine



Aug. 19, 1958 E. E. COLSON TRENCHING MACHINE 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed April 30, 1954 Elmer E. Go/son INVENTOR.

Aug. 19, 1958 E. E. COLSON TRENCHING MACHINE 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed A9111 so, 1954 7 Elmer E. Co/son INVEN TOR.

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I BY WWW M United States Patent 2,847,771 TRENCHING MACHINE Elmer E. Colson, Rock Harbor, Fla. Application April 30, 1954, Serial No. 426,688

1 Claim. (Cl. 37--94) This invention relates generally to excavating devices and pertains more particularly to an improved form of trenching machine.

A primary object of this invention is to provide an improved form of trenching machine in the form of an attachment for the body of a conventional power shovel, or the like.

These, together with other objects and advantages which will become subsequently apparent reside in the details of construction and operation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, Wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

Figure 1 is a side elevational view of a machine constructed in accordance with the invention;

Figure 2 is a plan View of the assembly shown in Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a plan view of the assembly showing the boom attachment in position for cutting alongside a bank;

Figure 4 is a vertical section taken substantially along the plane of section line 44 in Figure 3;

Figure 5 is a vertical section taken substantially along the plane of section line 5-5 in Figure 1;

Figure 6 is a side elevational view partly in section of the excavating wheel;

Figures 7, 8 and 9 are transverse sectional views of the excavating wheel as indicated by the section lines 7-7, 88, and 9-9 in Figure 6, respectively;

Figure 10 is a vertical section taken substantially along the plane of section line 10-10 in Figure 9; and

Figures 11 and 12 are views of the mating halves of the digging wheel.

Referring now more particularly to the drawings, reference numeral 10 indicates the cab and body section of a conventional power shovel, or the like, to which the digger attachment indicated generally by the reference character 12 is to be attached. The attachment is accomplished by the provision of a plate member 14 on the forward end of the shovel assembly 10 upon which a pivot plate 16 is disposed. A pivot bolt 18 extends centrally through the pivot plate 16 and through the plate 14 and the bearing plate 20 overlying the pivot plate 16. To hold the pivot plate 16 in various adjusted angular positions with respect to the shovel assembly 10, the pivot plate is provided with a plurality of holes 22 mating with registering holes in the plate members 14 and 20 so that a pin member 24 may be inserted therethrough to hold the desired angular position of the pivot plate with respect to the plate member 14.

The pivot plate 16 is provided with a boss portion 26 through which a shaft 28 extends to be received in the bifurcated end 30 of the boom attachment 12. The boom attachment consists of the side plate members 32 and 34 and suitable cross bracing members and it will be seen that the end of the plate members 32 and 34 are provided with upright portions 36 and a cross piece 38 intercona meeting the upper ends of same provided with pulley members 40 over which the operating lines 42 and 44 are trained for manipulating the boom in a vertical plane.

The boom is provided with a bed plate member 46 upon which an internal combustion engine indicated by the reference character 48 is supported with its drive shaft 50 extending forwardly therefrom to a change speed transmission assembly 52 having suitable flexible control means 54 issuing therefrom for manipulation of the transmission from within the cab of the shovel assembly 10. The transmission shaft 56 extends forwardly from the transmission to a transfer gear box 58.

Depending bracket members 60 are secured adjacent the forward end of the side members 32 and 34 and a wheel shaft or axle 62 is journaled therebetween to which the excavating wheel assembly indicated generally by the reference character 64 is rigidly attached. A pair of gear members 66 and 68 are rigidly secured to the axle shaft and are positioned thereon and with respect to the Wheel by suitable spacer members 70 and 72 and these gear members mate with further gear members 74 and 76, respectively, on the lower ends of vertical final drive shafts 78 and 80. Each of the drive shafts 78, 80 is journaled in pillow block members 82 and 84 secured to the side members and the brackets respectively. The upper ends of the final drive shafts carry gear members 86 and 88 meshing with gear members 90 and 92 on the forward end of the intermediate drive shafts 94 and 96, the intermediate drive shafts extending forwardly from the transfer case 58 and being rotatably driven by the drive shaft 56.

As shown in Figures 6, 11, and 12, the excavating wheel assembly 64 is composed of two semicircular sections 98 and 100. The mating edges of these wheel sections are provided with flange portions 102 and 104 removably secured together as by fasteners 106. The excavating wheel is provided with an enlarged rim portion 108 and the disc-like center portion 110 in the manner shown most clearly in Figures 6-9. The periphery of the rim is provided with cutting spikes 112, chopping members 114 and deflector plates 116 disposed in staggered relationship, as shown most clearly in Figure 6. As shown most clearly in Figure 10, each of the members 112, 114, 116, have lower end portions projected within the rim 108 and fastening bolts 118 are threaded into the rim through these inner end portions of the members to rigidly secure them in place.

What is claimed as new is as follows:

In an excavating machine, a boom pivotally secured at one end to a support for raising and lowering and lateral swinging relative thereto, means on said support for raising and lowering said boom, a pair of spaced depending brackets secured to the other end of said boom, a wheel shaft having its opposite ends journaled in said brackets below said boom, an excavating wheel secured to said shaft between said brackets, an engine on said boom, drive means connecting said engine and said shaft for rotating said wheel, said drive means including a change speed transmission for controlling the differential of rotational speed between said engine and said shaft, flexible control means extending between said change speed transmission and said support, a transfer assembly on said boom, a drive shaft extending between said change speed transmission and said transfer assembly, a pair of intermediate drive shafts above said boom extending from said transfer assembly forwardly thereof at opposite sides of said wheel and having front ends, a pair of final drive shafts extending from adjacent the front ends of said intermediate drive shafts below and perpendicular to said intermediate shafts to points adjacent said wheel shaft, and gear means connecting said final drive shafts with 3 4 said ends of the intermediate shafts and with opposite 1,762,441 Johnson June 10, 1930 ends of said wheel shaft. 2,084,887 Bennett June 22, 1937 2,414,767 Praytor et a1 Jan. 21, 1947 References Cited in the file of this patent 3,534,880 Praytor et a1, Dec, 19, 1950 UNITED STATES PATENTS 5 2,568,156 Kershaw Sept. 18, 1951 1,066,158 Solomon July 1, 1913 

